Dr. John with The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Palace, November 1st

I was filled with wild thoughts of Mardi Gras and voodoo magic as I walked into The Palace Theater in Albany, NY this past Thursday. Far from the bayou, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Dr. John made a stop in the capital district on November 1st with his Spirituals to Funk Tour featuring The Blind Boys of Alabama.

Dr. John strolled on stage, wearing a blazing purple suit, took his place center stage in between a piano and an organ, both decorated with jeweled skulls. The band jumped right into the night playing some tunes off their newest album, “Locked Up” which was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. One of the songs, “Revolution” gave off a whimsical circus vibe from Dr. John’s organ and featured a strong brass solo from the female trombonist. “Big Shot” had an easy flowing groove, with a simple beat and an eerie harmony, making Dr. John’s vocals intimating and hypnotizing. The top hit song “Right Place, Wrong Time” started and the audience cheered in excitement. The people sitting next to me politely excused themselves before immediately jumping out of their seats to start dancing in the aisles. This funky jam made for an excellent electric guitar solo and it’s understandable as to why it was such a chart topper.

After that song, Dr. John was joined by the gospel legends, the Blind Boys of Alabama. The quartet eased on the stage with one member announcing, “Can’t believe I’m here at the Palace with the great Dr. John…and we don’t sing to a conservative crowd.” The audience grew loud and stood to their feet as the Blind Boys began to belt out ”People Get Ready” strong harmonies that I never saw coming. The boys each had a chair and would periodically stand for their solos or sing relaxed in unison in their seats. It was great entertainment to see the Blind Boys feel the music as they each jived to Dr. John and his band’s music. They covered one of my favorite songs, Norman Greenbaum’s, “Spirit in the Sky” with serious swag. The Blind Boys continued to bring a heart-lifting performance especially during “There is a light” with their comforting and strong vocals.

As the Blind Boys made their exit, the crowd was treated to Dr. John laying down some serious notes on his guitar before returning back to the keys for “Mos’ Scocious.”I watched in awe as Dr. John could play the piano to his left or the organ on his right or both at the same time. Each song oozed New Orleans charm with a perfect mix of jazz, the blues and funk. As quickly as they had left, The Blinds Boys were back to help end the show with a bone chilling, slow tempo, “Amazing Grace.”

Much to my disappointment, the show ended before 10pm but it gave everyone a chance to have a meet and greet with the Blind Boys in the main lobby for autographs. The Spiritual to Funk Tour will be making stops in New Jersey and Virginia for the month of November. You can find more information about Dr. John by going to his website here. You can find more information about The Blind Boys of Alabama at their website here.

This Was The End is a multimedia performance inspired by canonical Russian playwright Anton Chekov’s Uncle Vanya. In the play, Vanya asks, “What if I live to be 60?” This Was The End answers that question through a story told by four actors in their 60s. Director Mallory Catlett is in residence at EMPAC with sound designer G. Lucas Crane and video designer Keith Skretch to develop their theatrical production into a multimedia installation about memory and time.

Like the performance, the new installation features the architectural façade of the original Performance Space 122, an iconic NYC arts institution, to physically frame and contextualize Catlett’s adaptation. She and her collaborators will activate the historic façade with video and sound from their theatrical production, drawing viewers into the installation to investigate what came before, what is now, and what might be.

SCHEDULEPERFORMANCE / OPENING

March 19, 2017 at 7:30PMG. Lucas Crane will perform live sound inside the space.

INSTALLATION / ONVIEWMarch 20, 2017 at 1–5PM.

G. Lucas Crane is a sound artist and performer from Brooklyn, NY. Major projects include the psych-rock band Woods, the cassette-collage project Nonhorse, and the experimental theater of Performance Thanatology.

The Brooklyn bad boys of indie rock are coming to rock the Orange Nation on Thurs. March 22! Modern Instinct is opening things up so you know its gonna be wild. Smash these links to learn more about these two great American bands: